The coronavirus pandemic, that has forced the middle-class and elite seek treatment in public hospitals, has also exposed the grappling social realities and the sad state of health infrastructure in the country.

Videos went viral on social media platforms where people were seen crowding into these hospitals, throwing the Centre’s ‘Do Gaj Doori’ rule off the cliff.

Despite the gruelling evidence and media footage, the Brihamumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) maintained that there was no shortage of doctors in the city. However, they admitted that there was a shortage in the lower rung staff – the sweepers and other hospital staff – as commuting became a challenge for them.

Last week, Mumbai hospitals had run out of beds due to the overwhelming tally of COVID-19 patients. Patients who called the BMC were asked to register themselves on a waitlist till more beds were made available by the city corporation.

As the nationwide tally of positive cases crossed the 1,00,000-mark, Mumbai alone has over 21,000 cases. Meanwhile, the total number in Maharashtra rose to 35,058, including more than 2,000 cases in the past 24 hours.